Things you wish you knew when you started recording bands

[mintcheerios]

I'm getting ready to start recording bands hopefully by Summer '09. Anyone care to share their experiences (good or bad)?

 

[paladin shredder]

how important it is to have proper mic placement and good sounding instruments and players.

 

[Metaltastic]

NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER SETTLE FOR A BAD TAKE, ESPECIALLY DRUMS, IN THE HOPES YOU CAN EDIT IT!! That's headache city right there, absolutely do not rest until the drummer plays it solidly start to finish. Yes, Beat Detective can work wonders, and yes, AudioGeekZine is offering his services as BD wrangler, but still, just save yourself the hassle and get it right.

Also, watch peaking like a hawk, especially of the converters. I know this seems obvious, but so often you'll get someone to do something as loud as possible (or so they say), set the levels accordingly, and then off they go blowing the meter through the roof during the best take (this is especially problematic with vocalists, yeesh).

 

[Torniojaws]

Just record a whole lot quieter. It shouldn't matter with 24-bit dynamics.

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, that was what I was driving at, but it needed to be said!

 

[KeithTidd]

NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER SETTLE FOR A BAD TAKE, ESPECIALLY DRUMS, IN THE HOPES YOU CAN EDIT IT!! That's headache city right there, absolutely do not rest until the drummer plays it solidly start to finish. Yes, Beat Detective can work wonders, and yes, AudioGeekZine is offering his services as BD wrangler, but still, just save yourself the hassle and get it right.

This is the most important one. I've settled more than a few times, and you wish you could go back and fix that tiny mistake.

 

[ahjteam]

Learn how to make the band comfortable and make redo all the bad takes without hurting their feelings.

 

[abyssofdreams]

1) Make sure the guitars and bass are tuned properly and double-check after each take. Something you can't fix in mixing stage later on.
2) Record DI tracks along with the mic'd tone, just in case you need to reamp.

 

[seditz740novaprospect]

making a professional production would take 10 times as long as it does from beginning to end.....................

 

[The-Zeronaut]

Theres so many things i want to know now....

 

[Morgorroth]

don't do it for free, they won't appreciate it!

 

[Metaltastic]

Ooh, here's another one - for the love of christ make sure all the toms (and usually the snare) are muted. RTOM Moongel on the head is the standard for this, and kicks ass, though an intentionally wrinkled piece of tape or taping a wad of TP works as well. But few things are as annoying as this horrendous ring after a hit, and maybe it's better when they'e tuned perfectly (I've never had that pleasure ), but still...

 

[MetalJonesy]

yea deffo DI the guitars as well as tracking properly!

 

[denizdurdag]

don't do it for free, they won't appreciate it!

+1000.

If you do it for free your hard drive will be stuffed with half completed projects in no time.

 

[Sloan]

Make sure that nobody extra is standing around, especially girlfriends. They will make everything take longer and won't realize that they have to shut the fuck up.

 

[abyssofdreams]

hahahahaha Sloan, brilliant! Just brilliant!

 

[ahjteam]

And oh yeah... Don't mix the songs with the full band present. Max 1-2, preferrably the primus motors, from the band.

 

[scorpio01169]

try to get the best performance out of a band and try to get you best results acousticlly before replacing anything

 

[deanbailey]

When you sort out the click tracks for the band make sure the main song writer AND drummer is present for their approval beforehand.

Nothing wastes more time than a drummer complaining after his first take "um...hey *main song writer* that part is waay to fast" or "woah..I can't play that time signature..." or my favorite "uuh...maybe just take off the click It's throwing me off".

+1 with perfect takes. Rather waste your time making the band play perfectly than wasting your time fixing their mistakes...
Once I've fallen asleep during the 28th take of one riff...total takes for that 3min guitar track was 135. lol It does get tedious but it pays off.

 

[fade_2_black]

NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER SETTLE FOR A BAD TAKE, ESPECIALLY DRUMS, IN THE HOPES YOU CAN EDIT IT!! That's headache city right there, absolutely do not rest until the drummer plays it solidly start to finish. Yes, Beat Detective can work wonders, and yes, AudioGeekZine is offering his services as BD wrangler, but still, just save yourself the hassle and get it right.

+1!!!!!